Last weekend, Wizards held their Wizards of the Coast Invitational, which the general populace could observe via Magic Online. Being Magic Online-less, I waited to see what could show up in the Sideboard coverage. One of the things I was interested in was to see what the minds of Wizards cooked up for post-Legions standard. While the conventional wisdom currently is that Legions will have little to no impact on Standard for Regionals, I can’t help but hope that perhaps those kooky kids at Wizards might show us otherwise. Yep, that’s me – down there in the dirt scrounging for tech!
Anyway, I took each of the Standard Decklists and grouped them by record. Let’s review them and see if there are any lessons we can possibly glean from three rounds of Swiss in a very insulated metagame.
THE UNDEFEATED (3-0)
JOHN DOYLE: R-G Beatdown
John didn’t fool around; he went right for the crème de la crème and constructed Kai’s R-G Beatdown deck, recently posted on the Sideboard. As someone who just recently started playing Magic, he certainly could have picked worse decklists! I’ve heard some other folks with experience playing this deck confirm that it is indeed a beating. Unfortunately, for our purposes, the mighty Kai deemed only Skirk Marauder a worthy addition to the main deck, though he did shoehorn Caller of the Claw into the sideboard. Apparently, R/G beatdown needs very little from Legions (heck, not much even from Onslaught).
Main Deck
2 Barbarian Ring
6 Forest
4 Karplusan Forest
2 Mossfire Valley
4 Mountain
4 Wooded Foothills
4 Basking Rootwalla
4 Grim Lavamancer
4 Llanowar Elves
2 Skirk Marauder
4 Wild Mongrel
4 Call of the Herd
4 Elephant Guide
4 Firebolt
4 Violent Eruption
4 Volcanic Hammer
Sideboard:
3 Caller of the Claw
4 Compost
4 Ensnaring Bridge
2 Naturalize
2 Phantom Centaur
MICHAEL ELLIOTT: Astral Slide
Michael also chose a fairly popular archetype, but his version runs some rather interesting choices. The first freaky thing I noticed was that he only ran twenty lands in an archetype where conventional wisdom would deem it six lands too short. In exchange, he squeezes in additional cycling cards, which seems like a valid choice. One of those choices is three copies of the rather odd Gempalm Incinerator. While undoubtedly good versus Sligh decks, I can’t see these as being more than potential sideboard material against those decks.
The one random True Believer, along with one in the sideboard, seems also a strange choice unless he’s just terrified of Haunting Echoes. Michael’s been playing Magic a long time, and did amass a 3-0 record with the deck, so his choices are certainly worth looking at.
Looking at his sideboard, I see he’s got four Composts listed. With only one way in the deck to generate green mana, I can’t help but think maybe the decklist is missing some green mana-producing lands – and in counting the cards, there are only fifty-six there, so obviously he had some additional lands, especially with one Windswept Heath listed.
But back to the issue at hand, the only Legions card making the cut here is the Gempalm goblin, which seems dubious at best. Not a good start; the first two decks show little love for Legions.
Main Deck
1 Windswept Heath
1 City of Brass
7 Mountain
7 Plains
4 Secluded Steppe
4 Exalted Angel
3 Gempalm Incinerator
1 True Believer
4 Astral Slide
4 Lay Waste
4 Lightning Rift
4 Renewed Faith
4 Slice and Dice
3 Starstorm
2 Sunfire Balm
3 Wrath of God
Sideboard:
2 Auramancer
4 Compost
3 Morningtide
4 Ray of Revelation
1 True Believer
1 Wrath of God
RICHARD GARFIELD: Beasts
As the inventor of Magic, Dr. Garfield needs no introduction (er, except that I just did). He decided to run a Beast deck, derived from the Masters deck that Gary Wise played. Garfield dips heavily into the beasts of Legions by running four each of Canopy Crawler and Feral Throwback, both also featuring the Legions mechanic Amplify. The Crawler can come out early enough to matter and, with plenty of big beasts sure to be clogging your hand, it could easily be a 4/4 or 5/5. Tack on its tap ability and a handy Contested Cliffs and creatures will dying left and right. I also like his use of Hystrodon and Gurzigost. Phantom Nishoba seems way too expensive- though I guess his rationale is even when they’re clogging his hand, they’re still useful to Amplify his beasts.
It’s a strategy that has gotten zero attention on the net, but with Garfield’s 3-0 record perhaps it’s worth checking out. In a lot of ways it hearkens back to strategies used to maximize Maro (the card, not the man).
Main Deck
3 Contested Cliffs
7 Forest
2 Mountain
1 Plains
4 Windswept Heath
4 Wooded Foothills
4 Anurid Brushhopper
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Canopy Crawler
4 Feral Throwback
1 Gurzigost
3 Hystrodon
4 Krosan Tusker
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Phantom Nishoba
4 Ravenous Baloth
3 Earthquake
Sideboard:
4 Compost
1 Earthquake
1 Forest
2 Genesis
1 Glory
1 Gurzigost
1 Hystrodon
4 Naturalize
WINNING RECORD (2-1)
TYLER BIELMAN: Red-green Beatdown
Tyler’s decklist cracks me up; it’s like he starts with a good mana curve, then shoots it all to heck.”Alright, four each of Firebolt, Rootwalla, Hammer, Mongrel, Call of the Herd… Hey, those Centaurs are a beating! And the Firecats, too! Let’s toss in a Rorix for good measure…”
You can’t deny that he tosses a lot of muscle cards into this deck, but I suspect his one loss could have very well been attributed to a higher mana curve than a twenty-three land deck (including four fetchlands) could handle.
That said, the bugger used zero cards from Legions, thus flouting the theory that Wizards required all participants to at least use a couple of cards from the new set.
Main Deck
7 Forest
4 Karplusan Forest
1 Mossfire Valley
7 Mountain
4 Wooded Foothills
4 Basking Rootwalla
2 Blistering Firecat
2 Grim Lavamancer
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Phantom Centaur
1 Rorix Bladewing
4 Wild Mongrel
4 Call of the Herd
4 Firebolt
4 Violent Eruption
4 Volcanic Hammer
Sideboard:
2 Blistering Firecat
1 Hurricane
2 Krosan Reclamation
2 Moment’s Peace
3 Naturalize
1 Rorix Bladewing
2 Sylvan Safekeeper
2 Threaten
AARON FORSYTHE: Red-black Zombies
I’m glad to see my Magicthegathering.com editor accrue a winning record, especially with this relatively unique R/B build. Fusing the red half of the Slide decks with the power of Graveborn Muse makes for a very interesting cocktail. As one of the more hyped cards from Legions, I’m glad to see it living up to the hype, and kudos to Aaron for ignoring the cute Words of Wisdom combos and going on the aggressive front, truly a more”Suicide” build. Another cool Legions touch is Gempalm Polluter for some uncounterable life loss, which also has great synergy with Unholy Grotto. Also note Aaron’s tech Megrims in his sideboard, which have to be pretty good against Slide and modern Psychatog with Compulsions.
Main Deck
4 Barren Moor
4 Bloodstained Mire
4 Forgotten Cave
2 Mountain
11 Swamp
1 Unholy Grotto
4 Gempalm Polluter
4 Graveborn Muse
2 Mesmeric Fiend
4 Undead Gladiator
4 Withered Wretch
2 Cabal Therapy
4 Chainer’s Edict
4 Duress
4 Lightning Rift
2 Oversold Cemetery
Sideboard:
2 Corrupt
3 Engineered Plague
3 Megrim
2 Persecute
4 Smother
1 Words of War
BILL ROSE: Goblins
Bill Rose has been playing Magic since before the beginning, and is currently R&D Vice Prez. He won the Invitational with his competition including some former pros, so this all adds up to him flopping the Magical cards pretty dang well. Bill chose aggression, small red men with burn backup. He also dipped fairly deep into the Legions card pool with Goblin Goons, Skirk Marauders and Goblin Grapplers. I particularly like the synergy with the Grappler and Reckless Charge, turning him into a real monster killer, not just taking down Merfolk Looters but Wild Mongrels and Arrogant Wurms while letting his fellows run on by. He’s got Incinerators in the sideboard to come in against creature decks… Which is just about everything, right?
Main Deck
4 Barbarian Ring
4 Bloodstained Mire
9 Mountain
4 Wooded Foothills
2 Blistering Firecat
2 Goblin Goon
3 Goblin Grappler
4 Goblin Piledriver
4 Goblin Sledder
4 Grim Lavamancer
2 Skirk Marauder
4 Sparksmith
4 Firebolt
4 Reckless Charge
2 Shock
4 Volcanic Hammer
Sideboard:
2 Flaring Pain
3 Fledgling Dragon
3 Gempalm Incinerator
4 Lightning Rift
3 Threaten
WORTH WOLLPERT: Black-green Utility
Worth was a pro for four years and currently participates in the Future Future league, so I was looking forward to seeing his deck choice. I was particularly happy to see him with black/green, a color combination that I’m fond of – and one that I’ve been considering for Regionals. What’s interesting in Worth’s build is that its completely centered around creatures. Even its non-creature spells – which consist of a mere three Oversold Cemeteries – are there simply to retrieve his creatures. Of course, in black and green you can pretty much cover all your bases with creatures: removal (Bane, Butcher, Assassin), enchantment/artifact kill (Vigilante), disruption (Fiends, Braids), life gain (Baloth), and even graveyard control (Wretch). I like the concept of the deck, but I just can’t help but wonder if a couple of Living Wishes wouldn’t fit perfectly in here.
Anyway, Worth makes generous use of Legions, with Bane, Caller, Vigilante and Wretch. Of particular note is his more aggressive use of Caller of the Claw in tandem with Nantuko Husk, along with Wirewood Heralds to assist in assembling the”combo.” This is an approach I’ve been advocating too, rather than the reactive use of Caller as a”just in case” anti-removal card.
Main Deck
4 City of Brass
9 Forest
9 Swamp
2 Bane of the Living
4 Birds of Paradise
3 Braids, Cabal Minion
2 Caller of the Claw
2 Faceless Butcher
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Mesmeric Fiend
4 Nantuko Husk
2 Nantuko Vigilante
1 Ravenous Baloth
3 Stronghold Assassin
3 Wirewood Herald
2 Withered Wretch
3 Oversold Cemetery
Sideboard:
1 Braids, Cabal Minion
3 Cabal Therapy
1 Caller of the Claw
2 Faceless Butcher
2 Naturalize
1 Oversold Cemetery
1 Ravenous Baloth
2 Smother
2 Withered Wretch
To Summarize Legions Lessons Learned So Far
We can see further evidence that there is little Legions has to offer the RG Beatdown and Slide decks. See: SKIRK MARAUDER, CALLER OF THE CLAW
There are opportunities to further explore the Beast deck archetype, especially in relating to the overlooked Amplify mechanic. See: CANOPY CRAWLER, FERAL THROWBACK
Graveborn Muse could very well live up to its hype. See: GEMPALM POLLUTER, WITHERED WRETCH, GRAVEBORN MUSE
Legions gives Goblin decks further options. See: GOBLIN GOON, GOBLIN GRAPPLER, GEMPALM INCINERATOR
Black/green utility (especially those with a Cemetery engine) gain several candidate cards in Legions. See: BANE OF THE LIVING, CALLER OF THE CLAW, NANTUKO VIGILANTE, WITHERED WRETCH
In Part 2, I’ll look at the decks that didn’t quite come together and see what lessons we can learn there.